worms text index | photo index
worms in general
Photo index of tubeworms on Singapore shores
Worms that live in tubes


Solitary tubeworm
Diopatra
sp.

Straw tubeworms
Family Chaetopteridae

Gregarious tubeworms
awaiting identification
 

Spionid sponge worms
Family Spionidae
Rubbery, thick tube 1cm in diameter, about 10cm above the surface. Tube incorporates debris and a leaf or shell at the entrance. Sandy and silty shores. Commonly seen on many of our shores. Soft thin tube about 1-2mm in diameter, look like roots or stems. Densely packed tubes look like a carpet. Sand bar, stones near seagrasses. Commonly seen on many of our shores. Soft thin tube about 1-2mm in diameter, look like roots or stems. Densely packed tubes look like a carpet. Sand bar, stones near seagrasses. Commonly seen on many of our shores.   Tiny tube about 0.5cm long, beige in large numbers encrusting sponges.

Phoronid worm
Phylum Phoronida

Fan worms
Family Sabellidae
 

Keelworms
Family Serpulidae
 
Fan diameter 1-2cm. A pair of spiralling black fans on top of tubular unsegmented body. Associated with peacock anemones. Commonly seen on some of our Northern shores. 4-8cm. Feathery fan. Solitary. In a leathery tube in coral rubble, sometimes in living coral. Commonly seen on many of our shores. See also photo index of feathery worms.   Under stones, hard tubes about 0.5cm in diameter and 5-8cm long. The tube opening is sealed with a tiny door. Underside of stones and on hard surfaces. Commonly seen on many of our shores.  

*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination of internal parts.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.

These are NOT tubeworms

Vermetid snails
Phylum Mollusca

Peacock anemones
Phylum Cnidaria
     
Hard tube on rocks. Tube opening 1-2cm in diameter, coils 10cm or more. They are molluscs like snails and slugs. Common. With long tentacles and soft long body in tubes about 2-4cm in diameter. They are cnidarians like corals and sea anemones. Common.      

how to tell apart
www.flickr.com
FREE photos of other worms. Make your own badge here.
photo index of
marine worms
on this site
all marine worms

Typical worms

  Smooth
Bristley

Tubeworms

Feathery worms

Flatworms
links | references | about | email Ria
Spot errors? Have a question? Want to share your sightings? email Ria I'll be glad to hear from you!
wildfactsheets website©ria tan 2008